Registering and canceling ballot-box



(No Model.)

L. M. FOSTER. REGISTERING AND GANGELING BALLOT BOX.

Patented July 80', 1889..

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[IVE/VTUR H. PETERS Phatv-Lflhogrlpher, Walhmglan. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUOIAN M. FOSTER, OF TROY, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN POOLE, OF TOPSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

REGISTERING AND CANCELING BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,093, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed April 11, 1889. Serial No. 306,768. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUOIAN M. FOSTER, a resident of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the IO same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the I5 several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in ballot-boxes; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of my improved ballot-box with the cover removed, showing the canceling and registering attachments in plan. Fig. '2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the broken line 00 a". in

2 5 Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, with the cover on and showing the rolls in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view on the line 1 y in Fig. 1, and showing the cam in end elevation. Fig. at is an end 0 view in elevation of the crank O and spindle 0 A is a rectangular case or box having a lower chamber A, which serves as a receptacle for ballots, and an upper chamber A'iwhich 3 5 contains the canceling and registering devices. The cover of the upper chamber is removed from the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,with a perforation A adapted to receive the ballots as they are fed through the same to 40 the feed-roll B and the register-roll O. Ihave shown the feed-roll fixed upon a spindle B, which has suitable bearings on the frame A, surrounding the opening A which opening affords a means of communication between the two chambers of the box. The spindle B may have a stem B adapted to receive an operating-wrench, or it may be operated in any well-known manner. The feed-roll may also be provided with a suitable ink-canceling surface, as the letters Troy, adapted to press the ballot against the register-roll. These letters are inked by the ink-roll B The register-roll is provided with a pair of toothed rims O, adapted to 'overlap the flange B 011 the feed-roll and engage with the ballots which are fed in between the two rolls. The register roll is fixed upon the spindle O which has suitable bearings upon the frame A This spindle is provided at one end with a )inion O ada')ted to en a e with the ear- 6o 7 C: D D

teeth 0 of the registering-dial 0 fixed upon shaft O, rotary in suitable bearings in the frame A. I have shown a single dial; but it is obvious that any known form of registering device may be used. The opposite end of the spindle O is provided with a wrist or crank 0 controlled by a spring O secured at one end to the crank and at the other end to some fixed object, as the side wall of the case at C, so that the crank cannot be moved without opposing the resilient force of the sprin g. The spindle O is also provided with a cam D, fixed thereon to engage with the lever D, pivoted upon the frame at D and controlled by spring The lever supports 7 5 the wire stem D of the bell-hammer adapted to strike the bellD, secured upon the case.

The operation of the device is as follows:

A ballot is inserted through the opening A and its inner end pushed down between the feed-roll and the register-actuating roll. The feed-roll is then given a rotary movement, which, feeds the ballot down through the opening A into the chamber A or ballot-box proper, and at the same time prints upon one 8 5 side of the ballot the word Troy. The teeth in the rims C" also make two parallel rows of indentations the length of the ballotone on each side of the printed word. The cam D also acts upon the lever D to raise the bell- 9o hammer, and as the cam slips from the end of the lever the spring D suddenly forces the lever back again to the position shown in the drawings, causing the hammer, supported by the yielding wire D, to strike and ring the bell or gong.

It will be observed that the feed-roll does not at any time directly engage with the register-actuating roll. Consequently the latter is only actuated by the ballot, and is prefer- 10 ably made of such a size that its circumference is about measured by the length of a ballot. Then each ballot forced between the rolls and engaging with the toothed rims C will give the register-roll approximately one revolution. The pinion C and gear 0" are so pri portioned that one revolution of the reg ister-roll moves the dial through one space.

Should it happen that thelength of the ballot was su llieient to give the roll more than one revolutionas, for example, one and a quarter revolution-the spring (1 would immediatel y force the roll. back again to j nst one revolution. Likewise, if the length of the ballot was not sullieieut to give the roll. a complete revolution, the spring C would complete the revolutimi. This will be fully understoml upon inspection of Fig. The broken cireular line in such figure represents the path ol. the wrist-pin. Now, it is evident that if the register-roll should be revolved until the wrist-pin reached the point (6 and then re leased, the spring 0* would restore the parts to the position shown, the pin passing back over the same course it traveled in reaching (1 but if the force was continued until the pin had traveled through more than half: a revolution for example, to Z)and withdrawn, then the spring would complete the revolution and restore the parts to the position. shown; also, if the revolving force was continued through a whole revolution and nearly half another, a arouml to o and then witluilrawn, the spring would restore the parts to the position shown, the register-roll being credited with only a single revolution on the dial.

A spring-controlled roll preferable to a weigilt-controlled roll, for the reason that less room isrequired to operate it and the control is not influenced bythe position ol. the inclosing and supporting case.

It might happen thatunless the ballot was continuously pushed down into the opening A the feed-wheel would slip on the ballot when rotated withoutdrawing the smile in between the two rolls. For the purpose of overcoming any such dil'lieulty l n-ovide the periphery of the feed-roll with a wripheral lug or projection l adnqnxed to engage with the periphery of the registerroll, and by reason of its frictional contact therewith cause the latter roll to revolve through a small are proportional. to the length of the lug, which positively starts the ballot in between the rolls.

\Vhat I claim. as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Ina ballotbox provided with ballot-canceling attaelnnenl's, the combination, with a feed-wheel, type-wheel, and tv )e-inker, of a register-roll, parallel toothed rims on such roll, and a peripheral lug on one of such rolls adapted to frietimntlly engage with the pc riphery of the other roll, suhstanl ially as described.

2. In a ballot-box noridedwith hallot registering attachments, the C(HHlllllHl-lflll, with a [:eed-roll,oli itl tll()l1t(5lii'ltt(}(l registering-mll and spindle, spimlle-erank, crank controlling and actuating swing, and a rolleuul-spimlleactuated registering-dial, substantially as described.

1:). In a ballot box provided with registering attaehlnelns, the mmbination, with ihe l'eedroll and register-roll, of a peripheral lug on the feed-roll, adapted. to l'rictionally engage with the peri 'ihery oi the register-roll, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of March, 19%).

\Vitnesses: 7

FRANK CURTIS, W. H. llOLlJlS'lfER, Jr. 

